Refrigerating apparatus



March 30, 1943. L. A. PHLIPP 2,315,222

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filed April 25, 1959 INVENTOR. Lqw'larycz l9. P1111. IPP

5 MW 21M ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE REFRIGERATINGAPPARATUS Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich, assignor toNash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of MarylandOriginal application April 25, 1939, Serial No. 269,997. Divided andthis application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,847

the drainage connection.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization, and itsmethod of operation together with additional objects and advantagesthereof,

will best be understood from the following de- I scription of specificembodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal view in cross section of arefrigerator cabinet showing the invention applied;

Fig. 2 is a viewtakenalong line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal view in cross section of arefrigerator illustrating a modified form of the invention forcollecting and removing the melted ice defrosted from an evaporator;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in cross section of a refrigeratorillustrating a further modified form of the invention for collecting andremoving the melted ice defrosted from an evaporator;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in cross section of a refrigeratorillustrating a modified form of the invention for vaporizing the watercollected in the defrosting pan during the defrosting of an evaporator.

Referring to Fig. -1 in the drawing, a cabinet I0 is constructed ofinsulated side, top and bottom walls l2 to provide for a food storagecompertinent iii. The front wall I4 is provided with an opening i5 foraccess to the compartment It closed by a swingably mounted closuremember I8. A second compartment is provided-in the cabinet l0 wherein isplaced the compressor-condenser unit 22 of a refrigerating unit.

Secured to and suspended from the top wall Within the food storagecomparment I6 is an evaporator 24. Leading from the evaporator 24 fordrawing heat laden refrigerant therefrom is a conduit 26 connected atits opposite end to the 'motor compressor unit 28. The compressor-28 isconnected by conduit 30 to the condenser 32. The passage of refrigerantthrough condenser 32 serves to liquefy the refrigerant to'be conductedthrough a small diameter conduit 34 to the evaporator 24. The conduit 30is formed intermediate the compressor unit 28 and condenser 32 into aspiral coil 36 in which is fitted a cup-shaped container or bucket 88.The coil 36 maybe soldered, welded, or the like to the container 38 toform a thermal bond therebetween.

Preferably the system is operated so that little or no frost collects onthe surface of the evaporator 24. The little frost that does collect isduring the cycling of the compressor when there is a rapid withdrawal ofgaseous refrigerant from the evaporator, but this frost quickly meltsduring the oil-cycle of the compressor. The system may however beoperated to collect and retain frost on the surfaces of the evaporatoras is well understood in the ant. In this case it is necessary toperiodically defrost the evaporator. In order to catch this drip thereis positioned beneath the evaporator a shallow pan 40. The pan 40 iscarried on and serves also as a cover for the deep pan or food storagecontainer 42 that is 'slidably supported on rails 44 secured on shelf46. The

shelf is supported on brackets 48 provided on the side walls of the foodstorage compartment l9.

Secured in the rear wall of the pan "is a tube i 59 so arranged as topermit drainage of thewpan mouth 52 of conduit 54.

The condensate in the container or bucket 38 will be in heat exchangerelation with the compressed refrigerant flowing through cell 36 towardthe condenser 32. This relationship will tend to lower the temperatureof the refrigerant in coil 36 while the vaporization of the condensatewill be considerably increased so that the condensate will rapidly passinto the atmosphere in form of vapor. It will be noted that by thisarrangement there is not only eliminated the necessity of manuallyremoving the condensate from the pan, but also increases the emciency ofthe condenser as it permits the refrigerant to enter the condenser at alower temcollect and maintain frost thereon when open type storagecontainers are used for the storage of meats and the like.

In the form shown in Fig. 4 the pan 10 is provided with a drain tubearranged as a, U-shaped syphon 80 which also terminates over mouth 14 ofthe drain tube 16. The condensate collects in the pan 10 until apredetermined level 'is reached when it flows through the syphon tube 80into conduit 16.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modified form for the vaporization of thecondensate by arranging an open trough 90 circumferentially on the shellof the motor-compressor'unit 92. Admin conduit 94 terminates within thetrough 90 emptying therein the condensate defrosted and collectedfrom anevaporator. The heat created by the operation of the compressor andtransmitted to, to be radiated by the shell will be absorbed by thecondensate or water, in the trough 80, increasing its vaporization sothat there is provided a means for passing the water in form of vaporinto the atmosphere and maintaining a cooler operating motor compressorunit 28.

'While I have illustrated and described the preferred forms of myinvention, I do not wish to limit myself to such details as described,but wish to avail myself of such variations and modifications as maycome within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

Refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having a compartment, arefrigerant evaporatlng element for cooling said compartment, a

removable deep pan for the storage of meats and the like, slideways forslidably supporting said= pan below said element, said pan also serving.to collect defrost water from said element when

